where to adventure travel in indonesia

"Usted no puede no hacerlo; lo peor es sentarse y lamentando que no lo has hecho. Esta es una de las más sabias palabras me he encontrado con alguien que tiene todo el derecho a la realidad pronunciar estas palabras. Su nombre es Nikki Scott y fue un placer absoluto para le entrevista y fue capaz de saber mucho acerca de este diseñador de estilo de vida muy interesante, sus aventuras de viajes y la revista de mochileros que fundó para ayudar a otros mochileros como ella.

La forma, Nikki totalmente giró su vida y creó el estilo de vida diseño de su elección podría inspirar, más allá de toda duda, quienes han estado especulando sobre cómo cambiar su modo de vida en algo de su propio diseño. Es natural sentir miedo cuando se piensa en abandonar las comodidades de su hogar y venturing en lugares que es completamente diferente a lo que estás acostumbrado a. Esta es una de las razones por qué la gente parada en sus pistas y no perseguir sus sueños de viajar.

Para iniciar cosas, Nikki me dio algunos detalles de su vida después de que se graduó en la Universidad. Ella ha estado interesada en la creatividad de las cosas en los negocios lo consiguió un trabajo en una agencia de publicidad en Manchester como un ejecutivo de cuentas. Desde el primer día, ella fue superada por un entorno competivo, grandes responsabilidades y ella tuvieron que trabajar realmente largas horas para obtener todo lo que hace. Permaneció en ese trabajo por 2 años hasta que ese sentimiento de malestar de no poder hacer las cosas que realmente quería simplemente no puede ser ignorado ya. Siempre ha sido amante del aire libre y viajes, así que ella decidió tomar un "año sabático", renunció a su trabajo, vendió su automóvil y compró su billete de vuelta al mundo.

Fue la primera vez de Nikki viajar derecho en todo el continente en su propio. El primer lugar a que ella había reservado su vuelo fue en Katmandú, Nepal. Ella eligió este lugar porque ella era un excursionista de corazón y ella siempre soñaba con ir a las montañas del Himalaya. Pero el momento que ella bajó de plano, ella sabía que ella recibiría un choque cultural y hizo definitivamente.

Todo a su alrededor era diferente pero finalmente ella consiguió colgar de ella y bastante un montón de amigos de su montaña de 2 semanas trek en el Himalaya. Después de Nepal, ella se aventuró a Tailandia, Laos, Vietnam, Camboya e Indonesia, conoció a más amigos y tenía el tiempo de su vida. Nikki conoció a todo tipo de mochileros como ella de todo el mundo y desde sus 20s hasta los años 70. Esto hizo pensar en crear una revista para mochileros. La revista pretende unir a todos los viajeros y ayudarles a descubrir los mejores lugares para un mochilero a explorar. Ahora Nikki está viviendo su sueño de ser un mochilero al crear un ingreso de haciendo lo que amaba.

Nikki Scott ahora vive en Ko Pha Ngan, un relajado la isla en el sur de Tailandia con un montón de hermosas playas y es la vida que quería toda su vida. Ella nunca esperaba, a pesar de ser una persona al aire libre que ella llegaría a amar el sudeste asiático y decidió quedarse. Si ella no hubiera luchado el temor de dejar todas sus comodidades detrás y todas las cosas negativas se escribe de lo que podría suceder en algunas guías de viaje, entonces ella no hubiera probado el puro placer de lo que tiene ahora.

Robert Murgatroyd es el dueño de la vida de Jet Set y es un experto en diseño de estilo de vida. Para obtener más información acerca de cómo se puede crear el estilo de vida le diseño después de http://jetsetlife.tv/muses/Jet_Set_Money/jetsetmoney.php y escuchar confesiones de diseño de estilo de vida Podcast de Rob

The South East Asian region of the world - especially Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos - has become increasingly popular as a destination for those travelers seeking a more adventurous holiday than can be had merely sipping fruity, ice-cold drinks at your typical beach resort. However, an adventurous trip to these developing countries raises many questions and one of the first is what route to take, which I will try to answer in this article.

Most people with enough time would like to get a taste for all four that I’ve mentioned earlier, so I’ll concentrate on a route that includes all of them. It would take about three months if you spent a few days at each stop. Keep in mind that there certainly are options available that would allow you to skip countries or even shorten the trip to fit into a more constrained timeline, but this should give you a good starting point for further research.

As far as getting around, travel by public bus, train, and boat is readily available and often full of adventure after all, traveling with a busload of chickens or the occasional box of frogs just adds to the fun, right? However, those looking for a little more comfort will usually be able to find more upscale options.

Many people that intend on doing a circuit though South East Asia will fly into Bangkok since it is a major hub. Bangkok is also rich with markets, temples, and plenty of fabulous food. Around Bangkok, there are several options for some side trips which allow you to get your feet wet. Kanchanaburi is a few hours away and is the location of the infamous bridge over the River Kwai and the Death Railway, the Erewan National Park, and the Three Pagodas Pass near the Myanmar border. If you are not going to the southern islands, but wouldn’t mind checking out the beach scene, you could also take a few days and visit Ko Samet or Ko Chang (less expensive) to get a taste of island life. Both are only a few hours from Bangkok by bus.

Once you’ve had your fill of the Bangkok area, work your way north to Chiang Mai. I like the train and it can be taken overnight, for those low on time, or during the day for those that wish to see some of the beautiful countryside. Chiang Mai is much less hectic than Bangkok, has some opportunities for great sight seeing, and also has a great cooking school! If you want to check out some smaller towns in Thailand, you can do that from Chiang Mai with a little add-on side trip. It’s a loop that goes by public bus to the wonderful village of Pai which is set up in the misty valleys that are laden with lush rice paddies, and then continues by bus or boat to Mae Hong Son, then by bus back to Chiang Mai.

In any case, from Chiang Mai, continue your journey north to Chiang Rai and onwards to Chiang Khong, which is the jumping point into your second country, Laos. You cross the Mekong River with a short boat ride and enter Laos on the opposite bank at Huay Xai. From there you immediately continue on to Luang Prabang by slow boat or fast boat (latter not recommended, unless you enjoy wearing a crash helmet), making an optional overnight stay in the rustic village of Pacbeng.

After spending a few days in Luang Prabang you could do a side trip up north, exploring the small northern villages of Laos for a few days, or just head down to the chilled-out town of Vang Vieng by bus or air. The road route to Vang Vieng is sometimes the target of bandits, so be sure to check what recent activity has been like, and then make your decision - but the safety record of air travel may not be much more inspiring!

Vang Vieng is full of fun kayaking, biking and caving opportunities, so you’ll want to plan for a few days there before moving on to the capital city of Vientiane. It doesn’t seem too exciting for a capital city, so I wouldn’t plan to spend too much time there, other than to visit the strange, but interesting Buddha Park.

Take the bus from Vientiane to Hanoi via the mountains and the Cau Treo border crossing into Vietnam. Hanoi is a very interesting place with lots to do and also offers a few interesting side trips: Sapa is a beautiful village set in the mountains, and Halong Bay, a Unesco World Heritage site, offers amazing views of thousands of mountainous karsts jutting up from the ocean waters.

In Hanoi, you can buy an “Open Tour” bus ticket that gets you all the way south to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). It has a standard set of stops, but allows you to purchase add-ons for a few dollars each, two of which I highly recommend being Ninh Binh and Dalat. From Hanoi, the first stop will indeed be Ninh Binh. Not a particularly touristy town, but the launching point to visit the spectacular Tam Coc park and/or the Cuc Phuong National Park.

From Ninh Binh, move to Hue for a day or two, then on to Hoi An to check out the amazing tailors and beaches, then to Nha Trang (a partying beach town that can be skipped if you wish), and then on to your second add-on which is the mountain town of Dalat. >From Dalat, you can do another addon stop in Mui Ne which is very quiet and good if you just want to relax and maybe poke around the local market a little bit.

The last stop in Vietnam will be Ho Chi Minh which offers plenty to see and do including a massage at the Vietnamese Traditional Medicine Institute for a couple of dollars. From there, you can cross into Cambodia in a couple ways. The first is a bus ride through some beautiful country to Phnom Penh, and the second is a boat tour through the Mekong Delta which also deposits you in Phnom Penh. Be warned though: the roads in Cambodia are dirt and very slow going, but the scenery is incredible if your backside can take it.

Phnom Penh gets mixed reviews but does have a couple of must visits before you continue: the Killing Fields and S-21. When you do move on, you again have the choice of bus or boat up to Siem Riep. I prefer the bus because of the fantastic views and the insight into the lives of the country folk - trust me, you’ll never forget it.

After spending some time gawking at the awesome ruins of Angkor Wat at Siem Riep, you can fly or bus it back to Bangkok, once again back where you started! Again, the bus is harsh, but worth it to see Poipet (I’ll say it again: not to stay, but to see) and the night-and-day change visible in a matter of a few meters when you cross from the poverty of Cambodia into developing Thailand.

There you have it. That route can be done in 3 months if you don’t choose every side trip mentioned (to do it all you’ll want to add another couple of weeks). If you work it out, you’ll find you can spend a few nights in each place, but don't make the mistake of creating some sort of concrete itinerary. Just be aware of your time, because you will want to spend lots of time in some places, while spending little in others and you really won’t know which until you get there. Be flexible within reason, and remember: it’s all about having fun!

Once back in Bangkok, you now have the option to work your way south to the islands, and perhaps, onward to other countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, or perhaps they will have to wait until your next trip, and yes, you will want to come back.

One of the next logical questions is: What is it like to travel around these countries on a route like this? That’s precisely the experience I detail in my book Rice Crust from the Bottom of the Pot: A Journey Across South East Asia ([http://parryloeffler.com/ricecrust]). It’s full of crazy adventures, wonderful stories of my interactions with the locals, and even a few recipes collected directly from their kitchens.

Population: 857,000 (UN, 2005)
Capital: Dili
Area: 14,609 sq km (5,641 sq miles)
Major languages: Tetum and Portuguese (official), Indonesian and English (working languages)
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 56 years (women), 54 years (men) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 US dollar = 100 cents

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is one of a few countries who have not always had it easy, and to this moment still remains shaky. Overshadowed by the repute of neighbouring countries, Timor-Leste neither suffers nor benefits from the international media, and with a freshly self-determined nation and underdeveloped tourism industry, the new republic has a rocky but bright road ahead. East Timor is the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. After having been assaulted with violence and control by Indonesia for almost a quarter of a century, Timor-Leste has definitely seen better days.

What remains hidden to the world's eyes is East Timor's rich cultural heritage from tens of thousands of years of civilizations and culture, enriched and given more depth and flavour by 4 centuries of Portuguese colonial occupation. The Land of Discovery, Timore-Leste just 400 miles to the north of Australia, is an inviting peace of secretive mystery with lots of treasures in store on land and sea. Instituted as a nation just of late in 2002, the people struggle with a lower than middle income economy with billions of oil dollars in the bank that have not been mostly utilized and disseminated to rebuild it.

Within decades of resistance from Indonesian military, slaughter of a third of the population is one of the worst brutalities that nearly wiped out a nation the world has seen in the 20th century. True, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. But the real story is how splendid and refreshing an escape Timor-Leste is now because it is a land too far out, too far gone.

GEOGRAPHY

Timor-Leste (8 50 S, 125 55 E) is the largest of the Lesser Sunda Islands with an area of 14,874 km2. The terrain is basically mountainous, especially to the north and east. The Paitchu Rnage and Iralalaro are easternmost, the latter being possibly the last of tropical dry forest within the country home to extraordinary flora and fauna and top priority for conservation. The north coast features abundant coral reef systems. The highest mountain is the Tatamailau with an altitude of 2,963 metres above sea level. The lowest point is the Timor Sea that separates Australia from the country. It is rich in petroleum, natural gas, and gold.

CLIMATE

The climate in these parts is tropical with a mean temperature of a roasting 30 °C, quite like the countries nearby with 2 seasons of hot and wet, but the pattern is rather screwed up. The hot and dry season is through the months of June to October, what is to most SEA countries the rainy season, and the wet and rainy season is from November through May. The onslaught to nature of a slash and burn agriculture does very little comfort in the heat or the flooding.

PEOPLE

But as a nation of a people with a deep sense of community, always helping each other one out in times such calamities strike, the Timorese are the country's real treasures. It is that one place where you'll enjoy more the company of locals than the place itself. And East Timor has a population of 1,131,612, that's a million times the hospitality and smiles. Back then, journalists are not welcome in Timor-Leste, but the tiny nation is slowly but surely opening up to the world and tourism.

RELIGION

East Timor is also one of just two nations in the South East that are predominantly Christian (Roman Catholic, 97% and Protestant, 1%), the other being the Philippines. On the other hand, Muslims constitute 1% of the population, Hindus, 0.5%, and Buddhists, 0.1%. The Timorese are mostly Austronesians and Papuans, while a small enclave of Chinese form the minority. Christianity unfortunately is one of the main catalysts to violence of Indonesian Muslims toward the Timorese such as the mass murder of 1999 in Suhai and kidnapping of thousands of children in 2002 to indoctrinate Islam.

LANGUAGE

TETUM, an Austronesian language, and PORTUGUESE are the two official languages of the state. At present, there are more than 25% of Timorese and growing proficient in Portuguese for purposes of communicating with the world outside. The form more widely used is Tetun-Dili, apparently the Tetum learned by Portuguese colonizers in DIli which has evolved to have immense Portuguese influence. ENGLISH and INDONESIAN are considered as trade languages, significant as vehicles to business, education, and foreign matters. As a sum, there are around 16 indigenous languages spoken all over the island.

ATTRACTION

Indeed Timor-Leste is a small land with big offerings. With its sort of reversed climate, this country makes a great getaway when all else in Asia is cloudy and wet. Even with a backtracked but budding tourist infrastructure, there's just enough magic and beauty to compensate for the butt-painful road travel especially for the adventurous, without undue travail. Timor-Leste is an underground paradise, an underwater surprise teeming with an eclectic range of marine life and pristine coral reefs.

First off, there is Dili where the country's best beaches are in holed up, much like the ghost pipe fish, leaf scorpion fish, and angler fish. In the North Coast, on the other hand, from Tutuala to Liquisa to the west, are superior shore-diving in the world with reefs plotted as near to the shore as possible 10 metres near like Bubble Beach where marine life is rare like barracudas, octopuses, and critters. Atauro Island, however, is a snorkelling hotspot, no doubt. Same and Ermera's large coffee plantations are also worth the visit.

To the east of the country is the Nino Konis National Park-one of the last surviving tropical lowland rainforests in the world where the traveller can go trekking, diving, and bird-watching (Timor Bush Warbler-distinct endemic bird species). The park has been well protected in part to the country's ECOTOURISM agenda with its rich coastal environment. In Timor-Leste, a tenner a day is beyond a possibility.

FOOD

To most outsiders, Timorese cuisine is a blank page, and there is some truth to it. With an economy and agriculture that's way far from developed to sustain and supply an entire nation, and almost half the population below the poverty line, food to the Timorese is mostly consumed to get by. Nonetheless, the most innovative creative cuisines come from the ingenuity of a group of people who have close to nothing. Rice is a staple but in the absence of, there are sweet potatoes, cassava, taro and corn. There isn't much insight to a national dish as of yet, but the common Timorese meal is one with rice, meat, and spices, closely resembling Indonesian cuisines of "rice and spice". There are Western foods served in restos and cafes in the urban Timor for the more affluent foreigners who live and work there.

Timorese gastronome is an amazing fusion of Malay/Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese influences. Fish, specifically fried fish, is among the most popular dishes here the cuisine of fish termed as pepes, while curries, like chicken recipes, are a famed fave, but Indonesian food is very close to the Timorese' heart and stomachs if not for proximity and influence. Fresh dessert is characteristically Timorese which could be anything from bananas, mangoes, papayas, and watermelons. Fruits can be eaten during or after the meal because dessert per se is not a culinary concept in Timor-Leste. Dessert can also mean snack like pudim de coco or the Portuguese custard tart creme caramel. And they eat dog too, sometimes. Nowhere has the saying "danger is what makes life worth living" been more true than Timor-Leste where people are not shy of optimism and forgiveness.

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